Electrode-holding device



March 15, 1927. 1,620,837

, R. P. SCHWARTZ ELECTRODE HOLDING DEVI CF Filed July 6, 192.5

INVENTOR ELM efl Pit Patented Mar. 15, 1927.

invention relates to the general class ofele'ctrode holding-devices and particu larly toidevices for supporting a plurality; o;ca'rbon' electrodes from which rays are projected for projecting rays at their maximum intensity on any desired object.

-:It-isthe object of my invention to prov de an ,easilyadjustable bracket vfor supporting carbon electrodes or other ray projecting.

electrodes, w-hich project a maximum of rays circular area inwhich-the atwfanglesto'the meeting ends of the electrodes. Further it ismyobject to provide an adj-ustablebracket which will with slight readjustment increase thedimensions of the greatest scope of radiation occurs thereby increasing the range of exposure to the rays in a circle about -the holding device-or increasing the angle of inclination ofthe bodies of the patients or ,the other objects which are to receive radiation.

For the treatment of patients having many different diseases, I have found great ditficultyin subjecting their bodies to the rays from .electrodes, and-at the same time providingriforutheircomfortable reclining in positionsat properangles to the electrodes in which position they will be within the area of=maximum radiation. I have zfound that with my bracket structurewhich will behereinafter: described and claimed I am able to comfortably dispose a number of patients in reclining position with their bodiesat approximate right angles to the alignment of the ray projecting electrodes. By a simple adjustment of the bracket I am furtherable to increase the number of pa-' tients iorarticles being exposed to radiation by decreasing the apex angle of the inverted cone in which the electrodes are retained so that the rays, which are projected at maximum intensity atapproxlmate right angles to the slant height of the cone will circumscribe a circle of greater circumference and more patients or articles may be subjected to radiation.

Referring to the drawings in which I have illustrated my preferred bracket construction:

Figure 1 is a detail section of one arm of thevbracket as indicated by the lines 1-1 in- Fig. 2. 1 s

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the complete assembly ofholder and electrodes.

Figure 3is' a diagram of an imaginary RUSSELL PLATO SCHWARTZ, or CI CIN A I. 01110. ELECTRODE-HOLDING DEVICE;

= Application filed July 6, 1926. Serial No. 120,665.

section of electrodes and patients or articles illustrating the geometrical principle involved.

Generally indicated at 1 is a vertical suspended sleeve which may conveniently be rigidly secured in the ceiling of the room in which patientsare to be treated or may be suspended from a chain or cable so that by passing the cable over a pulley the bracket'may be drawn to the floor for readjustment. I

An upper spider 2is mounted on the sleeve by a bushing 3 and forms a convenient mounting for a fixed or sliclable support. A lower spider 4: is fixedly mounted on the sleeve atthe lower end thereof. Between the spiders on the rod the solenoids 5 are suspended from the spider by springs 5*.

, Trunnion shaped bosses 6 extend from the upper spider and pulleys 7 are pivotally mountedv in the bosses. The lower spider is likewise provided with bosses which pivotally mount links 8. Each set of links has an aperture at 9 through which cables 9 are secured. The cables pass over the pulleys 7 and extend to a member 9 which pro-, jects from the bottom of the sleeve and is provided with an adjustment collar l0. Thus the links 8 are held in the line of the slant height of an inverted cone. A. handle 10'" at the lower end of the member 9 provides a simple means of adjusting the angle in which the electrodes are held. As the links 8 are held in alignment with the slant height of an inverted cone, as the handle 10 is moved downward as illustrated in Figure l, the angle of the apex of the cone will be increased and an imaginary circle described at 1 right angles to the slant height of the cone will have a decreased circumferential area.

The electrodes which in the illustration are high power carbon electrodes are secured on the links 8. In the illustration I have shown four sets of links, but it will be understood that greater or less number of links may be used as long as they are held in alignment with the slant height of a cone. The electrodes are supported in the usual manner, the lower electrodes being stationary, and the upper ones held at sufficient distance from the lower ones to permit a suitable arc. Solenoids 5 suspended from the spider 2 are adapted to magnetize arniatures 12 to which are secured chains 13.

The chains pass over pulleys 14 and are secured at the ends to negative electrode holder plates 15. 'When the current is turned on through the solenoids the armatures are drawn up and the chains pull on tubular portions 16 in which the negative electrodes are mounted. In this way the carbon points are kept with a sufficient gap between them to form a silent are.

I have found that by suspending the solenoid casing from springs a much more deli cate adjustment is provided for the tension of the electrode holder plates and hissing and sparking is thereby eliminated. The armatures 12 may be suspended from a rod which extends up through the easing into a closed cylinder in which it is attached to a piston so that a dash pot effect is provided which has been found to provide a very effective and delicately balanced mechamsm.

Preferably the positive carbon electrodes 17 are supported in projections 18 which extend from the links 8 spider. In the use of a high powered arc inwhich the electrodes are-surrounded by a copper casing 17 I have found that by disposing the positive elec trode below the negative not only is there no tendency for the copper casing to melt and be sprayed off, but the greater the angle of the links 8, the more the crater of the positive electrode tends to project amaximum of rays downwardly.

The patients or articles to be subjected to radiation are disposed in a circle approximately at right angles to the positions in which the electrodes are retained. In the diagram Figure 3 it will be observed that as the angle at the apex of the cone in which the electrodes are disposed is decreased, the spread of the circumference of a circle in which rays projected at approximately right angles to the slant height of the inverted cone will be increased. This forms a convenient way for providing radiation for a variable number of patients or articles in the circle below the carbon electrodes, or in the case of patients it allows their bodies to be raised from a lying position to a sitting position as indicated by the change in the diagrammatical positions indicated at 19 and 19.

Although my holding device for electrodes is particularly adapted for the treatment of sick people the apparatus is also suitable for the effective treatment of growing vegetation and for a great variety of purposes in which it is desired to vary the effective scope of rays projected from electrodes.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patents, is:

1. In combination with a holder, a plurality of sets of electrodes, said electrodes mounted so as to project rays of maximum intensity at acute angles to the vertical, and means of adjusting the electrode mountings so as to change the angles to the vertical of the rays projected from the electrodes.

2. A holder for a plurality of units consist-ing of a positive and a negative electrode units of electrodes mounted on said holder, said electrodes adapted to project rays at maximum intensity at angles to the lines in which they are disposed, said electrodes disposed on lines of the slant height of an inverted cone whereby the rays from said units project circumferentially in a circle, and means of varying the slant height of the cone in which said units are disposed.

3. A holder for a plurality of units con sisting of a positive and a negative electrode, electrodes mounted in said holder, said electrodes adapted to project rays at maximum intensity at angles to the lines in which they are disposed, said series of electrodes disposed on lines of the slant height of an inverted cone whereby the rays from said units will project in the circumference of a circle, and means for adjusting the holder to increase and decrease the circumferential area into which the rays are projected.

1. A holding device comprising a central sleeve, a spider mounted on the sleeve, solenoids suspended from said spider, a fixed member mounted on said sleeve havin a plurality of links articulated thereto, said links with ends pivotally secured to said fixed member, and said links secured to the fixed member having electrodes thereon, said electrodes disposed in alignment with the slant height of an inverted cone, said solenoids adapted to control the arcs between said electrodes, and adjustable means for varying the projecting angle of rays projected at maximum intensity at angles to the electrodes.

5. An electrode holding device comprising a central sleeve, a spider mounted on the rod, solenoids suspended from said spider, a fixed member mounted on said sleeve hav ing a plurality of links articulated thereto, said links carrying ray projecting electrodes, said electrodes disposed in alignment with the slant height of an inverted cone, said solenoids for controlling the arcs of said electrodes, adjustable means for varying the projecting angle of rays projected at angles to said electrodes, said means adapted to regulate the projection of the rays within the circumference of circles varying from a circle formed by rays projecting downward in alignment with the mounting sleeve and a circle extended at right angles to the mounting sleeve.

6. In a holder a plurality of units of ray projecting electrodes, units of electrodes adapted to project a maximum intensity of rays within acircular area extended approximately at right angles from the electrodes, and adjustable means of moving the angles of said series coincidentl in order to vary the angle at which sai rays are projected.

7. In combination with a holder, a plurality of units of ray projecting electrodes mounted at an acute angle to the vertical, and means of varying the angle of the electrodes of all of said units simultaneously.

8. In an electrode holder, a series of electrodes arranged along lines of the slant height of an inverted cone, positive electrodes disposed below negative electrodes in said series, means of controlling the movement of said negative electrodes with relation to said positive electrodes, and means of varying the slant height of the cone in which said series is disposed.

9. In an electrode holder, a series of electrodes arranged along lines of the slant height of an inverted cone, positive electrodes disposed below negative electrodes in said series, means of moving said negative electrodes with relation to Said positive electrodes, and means of varying the slant height of the cone in which said series is disposed, said controlling means comprising solenoid coils with armatures disposed on rods, and resilient means of counlerbalancing the magnetic effect of said solenoids on said negative electrodes.

RUSSELL PLATO SCHWARTZ. 

